A. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to games and more particularly to an electronic board game that provides aural and visual indications of the progress of the game to the participant.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Various games are known wherein one or more players are provided with a number of switches that are connected to light bulbs or other indicators in a manner unknown to the players; the player or players attempting to light and/or extinguish lights of an opposing player, to actuate a series of indicators sequentially or to form a particular pattern.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,665 which issued to N. Becker on Sept. 12, 1972, provides a plurality of switches for each player that are interconnected to operate a plurality of light bulbs. The switches are operative to light one of the bulbs associated with one player while simultaneously switching off one of the bulbs of an opposing player. Thus, the operation of one player's switches is controlled by the setting of the other player's switches so that neither player can anticipate the result of any switching action he may initiate. Various double-pole, double-throw switches and their interconnection are described.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,417,995 which issued to R. J. Creeley on Dec. 24, 1968, is directed to a game having a game board in the shape of a race track and provided with a plurality of lights to indicate the position of each player along the race track. The light bulbs are randomly connected to the push buttons with the players attempting to actuate their corresponding light bulbs around the race track as fast as possible. The push buttons are connected to the light bulbs by means of rotary switches and solenoids; the connections being alterable by a mechanical switch arrangement. Thus, the players do no know the correspondence between the positions on the race track and the push buttons.
An electronic tic-tac-toe game is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,367,663 which issued to L. A. Marks on Feb. 6, 1968. Each player is provided with nine push buttons that correspond to one square of the tic-tac-toe board. The interconnections between the push buttons and the tic-tac-toe squares are alterable at random and the players do not know the correspondence between the push buttons and a particular square on the tic-tac-toe board.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,092,390 which issued to C. J. Super on June 4, 1963, is directed to a game device wherein a plurality of switches are arranged in a plurality of rows with one switch in each row being electrically connected to a bulb. The object of the game is to select the switch in each row that lights the bulb, the player proceeding from row to row. If the player is not successful in choosing the right switch that lights the bulb, another player takes a turn. The interconnections between the switches and the bulb are random and are made by metallic balls located between the switches and the housing with the interconnections being alterable by shaking the device.
A hand-eye coordination device is associated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,654,710 which issued to J. W. Barnard on Apr. 11, 1972. In this device, a rotary switch sequentially lights up a plurality of light bulbs mounted on a board upon rotation of the switch by an attached knob.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,367,653 which issued to M. E. Brown on Feb. 6, 1968, is directed to a board game with each player operating a pair of rotary switches connected in series with one another such that a light is actuated when the two switches are set to the same position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,376,041 which issued to F. P. Anderson on Apr. 2, 1968, is directed to a battleship or other target game utilizing a board and various array positions with interconnected switches. This game board is arranged to play the traditional "battleship" game.
Another game directed to interconnected switch arrangements is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,553 which issued to M. Secter on Dec. 18, 1973. In this game, a matrix of switches is provided for each player on opposite sides of a housing wherein each player attempts to electrically connect the switches in one row or column of his matrix. The time that such switches are interconnected is recorded on a clock. The opposing player attempts to break the electrical circuit by manipulation of his matrix swtiches. The highest accumulated interconnection clock time determines the winner.
A game utilizing a scrambler switch interposed between a plurality of switches and the segments of an alpha-numeric display is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,764 which issued to W. L. Dieball on Sept. 28, 1976. The object of the game is to form a particular number or character on the display. The player who first forms the designated number or character is the winner. The scrambler is positionable to provide different connections between the switches and the display segments.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,242 which issued to T. L. Huang et al on Nov. 29, 1977, is directed to a game including a series of lights that are rapidly and repeatedly illuminated in succession to simulate a rapidly moving light path. The speed of the illumination may be varied and a player attempts to stop the path on a particular light or a light with a high score associated therewith. Various patterns of lights are described.
Other board games of the prior art including electrical switches and light indicators are found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,563,552; 3,626,698; 4,002,340; and 4,021,044.
While the above described prior art games do provide a great deal of amusement, there is a constant need and desire for improved electronic games that utilize electronic control circuitry for establishing a random association between player operated devices and indicators and also controlling the progress of the game to provide an increased variety of play, challenge and interest while improving memory skills.